Sourdough bread is one of the nutritious and delicious types of bread. How can we bake healthy sourdough bread? Research on sourdough bread.
Bread is one of the most important and fundamental food items present on every table. Breads come in a wide variety, made with different types of flour. Eating bread on its own can save you from hunger and satisfy your appetite. Most of us are familiar with common types of bread such as barbari, sangak, lavash, and others. However, breads have a diverse range, and each city has its own unique type of bread.
Making sourdough bread which is one of the nutritious and delicious types of bread that you can easily prepare at home with a simple method. You don't need a lot of ingredients to make this substantial bread, and the presence of natural yeast in it promotes a healthy digestive system. Additionally, the nutrients present in it contribute to easy digestion of this product. Join us as we explore the process of making sourdough starter and the recipe for baking a wholesome sourdough bread together.
Sourdough, one of the best alternatives to yeast
Homemade sourdough starter takes about 5 to 7 days to become ready. However, once you utilize this method, it will remain usable for an extended period. Sourdough is considered one of the best and healthiest substitutes for industrial yeast.
Making sourdough starter
A sourdough starter is a live fermented culture of flour and water. Once combined, the culture will begin to ferment and cultivate the natural wild yeasts found in our environment along with the bacteria. A small portion of this culture is added to your bread dough to make it rise. However, the process doesn't end here, and the leavening power of sourdough is enhanced by regularly adding water and flour to it.
To make sourdough starter, start by mixing equal parts of water and flour. Stir the mixture thoroughly until you get a smooth and lump-free consistency. Place the prepared mixture in a location with a temperature between 24 to 26 degrees Celsius and wait for it to become bubbly and active. When the sourdough starter becomes bubbly, it will double in volume. To achieve such a sourdough starter, depending on the room temperature, you need to give the flour and water mixture 2 to 12 hours.
How to check if the sourdough is ready
To determine if the sourdough starter is ready for use, you can place a tablespoon of it in a cup of water. If the sourdough floats on the water, it is ready and can be used. However, if it sinks, you still need to be patient and wait until it's ready. Once the sourdough starter is prepared, store it in the refrigerator and feed it with water and flour once a week to keep it healthy.
Ingredients for making sourdough starter:
- 1/4 cup whole wheat flour or white flour
- 1/4 cup water
Recipe for making sourdough starter at home:
- In a bowl, mix equal parts of flour and water.
- Combine the flour with water to form a dough.
- Cover the bowl with a towel.
- Place the sourdough starter at room temperature; the ambient temperature should not be too warm.
- During the day, twice (once in the morning and once in the evening), stir the mixture, adding equal parts of flour and water each time.
- After 3 to 5 days, you will notice bubbles forming in the sourdough starter.
- After the fifth day, the sourdough starter should have approximately doubled in volume and is ready for use.
How to store homemade sourdough starter:
It's best to prepare the sourdough starter in the quantity you need. However, if there's leftover sourdough, store it in the refrigerator and feed it with water and flour once a week.
The amount of usage?
The amount of using homemade sourdough starter depends on the specific recipe you are following. It's important to note that the quantity of commercial yeast and homemade sourdough starter is not necessarily equivalent. When making bread with homemade sourdough starter, it's crucial to follow the instructions provided in the recipe that specifically calls for the use of homemade sourdough starter.
What is Sourdough Bread?
Preparing sourdough bread, as the name suggests, results in a sour flavor derived from the lactic acid present in the sourdough starter. In the ingredients for making sourdough bread, natural sourdough is used instead of commercial yeast. The fermentation process in this bread occurs at a slower pace, contributing to its quick digestibility and promoting digestive health. Interestingly, this type of bread was prevalent in many European countries in ancient times when commercial yeast was not yet produced.
The availability of industrial yeast has made the baking process more convenient for everyone, eliminating the need to set aside a starter for several days to achieve the desired sourness. Consequently, fewer people nowadays venture into making sourdough starters for bread baking. Now, let's get back to the main topic and delve into the process of preparing sourdough bread.
How to Make Sourdough Bread
Ingredients for Sourdough Bread:
- 1 kg whole wheat or bran bread flour
- 10 grams salt
- 100 grams sourdough starter
- 20 grams gluten
- 100 ml water (about half a cup)
Ingredients for Sourdough Starter:
- 50 grams water (about a quarter cup)
- 50 grams flour (about half a cup)
Recipe to Make Sourdough Bread:
Start by preparing the sourdough starter. Mix water and flour in a glass container.
Close the container and, for 10 days, take out 20 grams of the starter daily. Add 10 grams of flour and 10 grams of cooled boiled water. Wait for your natural yeast to develop.
8 steps to prepare sourdough bread:
- The sourdough that you've prepared before, mix it with 70 grams of flour and 10 grams of water to form a dough.
- Place the resulting dough in a sealed container and refrigerate for one day. After this time, large bubbles should have formed on your dough. Mix flour, salt, and water according to the specified amounts in the recipe. Combine this mixture with the dough to get a sticky consistency.
- Fold the dough using a dough scraper gently; be careful not to claw it as you would with other types of bread.
- Allow the dough to rest for 4 hours in a sealed container, folding it every hour. Mix any dough clinging to the sides of the container back into the main part.
- After the resting period, place the dough on your working surface and divide it into 2 to 3 portions. Open each portion multiple times. Line a wicker basket with a linen cloth and dust it with flour. Put the dough inside, cover it, and let it rest for another 4 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 260 degrees Celsius (500 degrees Fahrenheit) and place a pan of water inside for moisture.
- Remove the dough from the basket, sprinkle some flour, and make cuts with a knife. Place them in a covered pot for baking inside the oven. You can brush the surface of the loaves with egg yolk, saffron, sesame seeds, or a mixture of egg yolk and black seeds for decoration.
- Make sure to close the lid of the pot tightly to retain moisture. Allow the bread to bake for 30 minutes with low heat. After this time, remove the lid and turn on the top heat of the oven for 15 minutes until the bread turns golden brown.
Congratulations, you have successfully baked delicious homemade sourdough bread!
How to Make Homemade Bread on a Griddle or Oven
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of all-purpose flour (unbleached)
- 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
- Water, as needed (enough to form a dough)
Instructions:
Mix the flour and salt in a bowl. Add warm water gradually and mix with your hands until you achieve a smooth and soft dough.
The dough should not be too sticky or too dry. This bread is made without a sourdough starter.
Knead the dough and cover it, letting it rest for about 20 minutes.
Divide the dough into 8-9 portions. Sprinkle some flour on your working surface and, using a rolling pin or your hands, flatten and stretch each portion, pulling the edges to make it thinner (this requires some skill and experience, but you'll get better with time).
Heat a griddle or skillet until it's hot (if you don't have a griddle, you can use a skillet).
The heat should be medium, as the bread cooks quickly, and if it's too low, the bread might become tough. The dough should be placed on the griddle or skillet.
Prepare a skillet or griddle, and let it heat until it's hot. (If you don't have a griddle, you can use a skillet).
The heat should be medium, as the bread might burn, and if it's too low, the bread might become tough.
Place the dough on the griddle or skillet. Or you can bake it in a traditional oven.
For future batches, you can reserve a small portion of the dough as a starter to give subsequent loaves more structure. However, for the first batch, this is not necessary.
Benefits of Sourdough Bread
Sourdough bread contains a significant amount of nutrients that are highly beneficial for digestive and stomach health. This bread is rich in prebiotic fiber and antioxidants. It has a long shelf life, allowing you to store it for an extended period.
Key Tips for Baking Bread:
- Measure all ingredients carefully to ensure the quality of your bread.
- Use high-quality flour for baking.
- Dough with bran flour does not rise as much as white flour dough.
- Ensure the yeast is fresh.
- Avoid adding excessive salt.
- Allow the bread dough to rest sufficiently for proper leavening.
- Knead the bread dough thoroughly; inadequate kneading results in a softer and crumbly texture.
- Cover the dough with a cloth to keep it warm and facilitate quicker rising.
- If the ambient temperature is cool, the dough may take longer to rise.
Research on Sourdough Bread
In a study comparing the effects of bread made from sourdough starter and commercial bread, researchers reported that sourdough bread significantly reduces blood glucose levels and insulin responses, leading to greater satisfaction compared to other bread types. They also found that the fermentation process in sourdough production may improve the nutritional properties of starch. The glycemic index of sourdough bread is 68, while for other bread types, it is 100. Foods with lower glycemic index are preferable as they help prevent various diseases, especially diabetes.
Researchers in Sweden at Lund University observed that the fermentation process in sourdough production reduces the level of carbohydrates in the dough by transforming it into lactic acid. This means that sourdough bread can help maintain blood glucose levels at a constant level, contributing to the prevention of various diseases, especially diabetes.
Approximately 95% of the flour used in the United States is white flour, which retains only 20 to 30% of the actual wheat grain's vitamins.
Naturally leavened bread reintroduces beneficial fermentation metabolites to the digestive tract, enhancing digestion and proper elimination. Numerous studies have shown that individuals with higher fiber intake have a significantly lower risk of colon cancer.
In an article published in 1984 in the East and West Journal, Ronald Kotz explained how bread made from current yeast strains plays a role in the occurrence of diseases.
During the fermentation process, current yeast strains cause the expansion of starch granules in the bread, making their physical characteristics similar to cancer cells. According to the French researcher Jean-Claude Vincent, the bioelectric energy of bread dough also becomes similar to cancer cells.
According to Walter Last, undigested gluten in processed bread can seriously weaken the intestinal wall and affect the villi of the small intestine, leading to disturbances in nutrient passage. Gluten, especially wheat gluten, is effective in absorption disorders, joint inflammation, autoimmune diseases, cancer, diabetes, and diseases caused by sun exposure.
When digestion does not function properly, we cannot receive the necessary nutrients, and malnutrition is one of the major factors influencing cancer development. Since bread and wheat products are considered the main part of the daily diet, these food items must be healthy and safe. Today, flour milling, refining, coloring, enrichment, and adding various chemicals to flour, as well as bread baking, have led many scientists and medical professionals to research the nutritional quality and health of these products.
Final Notes
Starters have been passed down from generation to generation traditionally. However, you can easily mix some flour and water (some suggest using fresh pineapple juice instead of water) and let it sit for a week until bubbles form. During this process, yeast and bacteria present in the air will inoculate the mixture. Sourdough is fermented by a type of lactic acid bacteria called lactobacillus, which converts sugar into carbon dioxide and hydrogen gas. They also produce lactic acid and acetic acid, giving sourdough its distinctive flavor. Traditional sourdoughs do not use commercial yeast.
Methods for preserving bread with no additives are crucial for maintaining the freshness of the bread and preventing waste. The natural preservation process for sourdough bread begins as soon as it comes out of the oven. In contrast to yeast-based bread, sourdough bread remains consumable for several days.